Life is a journey influenced by the words we speak, read, think and hear. Where have a choice, maximizing our exposure to words that make us grow and beauty in all its forms makes the journey so much better. My blog is about those choices of words, sights and sounds.
"Shirtless and stretched over his guitar, Gavin scribbled some notes on a page lying on the coffee table before him. His tattoos cast a vague blue hue under the weak light penetrating the windows. The sexy as hell bed head got her heart chugging. To think she had a hand in taming that wild hair into something a tad softer. She beamed.
His tanned toes spread and dug into the carpet, gripping its short nap. With his navy cargo shorts bunched just above his knees, which were bent at a perfect right angle, he looked pensive. Vulnerable. Here was the Gavin Cassidy no one else knew. Not the rock star or Sentinel. Her Gavin.
He dropped the pencil on the table and snapped the guitar pick from his lips as the digits on his left hand found their places along the frets. Strumming with his right, he closed his eyes. His fingers worked their magic. His face remained placid through the poignant melody"
as well as
"The man with black hair leaned down towards him again, holding the axe blade before him as if measuring the center of his breath. The moonlight played upon the blade of the axe, reflecting light up upon his grim countenance. Charlie saw the face of death and it was horrible to behold. His heart stopped in his dream, his eyes locked with his maker who was Caleb, who raised the axe high above his head in the cruel moonlight. For an instant, time ceased its merciless infinite countdown, and then the blood came in torrents. A deluge and the dream drowned and everything became nothing, but slow dark peace, much like sleep".
So . . . well . . . I'm not an official part of the "Just Breathe" blog tour today but I just have to share my review or I might bust!
There were parts of this book that I wasn't crazy about, things I could nitpick about. But I'm not going to do that because this book deserves better than that.
First, the characters. I will go on and on about Zoe and Gavin shortly but we cannot overlook Sinnder and Scarlet. I talked about Scarlet in a previous review. I loved her then and I love her in this book. She is beautiful, oozes sexiness and is the embodiment of evil. What's not to love? She's fun in her own devilish way. Lust pours out of her. She knows what she wants and heaven help the person who gets in her way!
And then there is Sinnder - sort of a male version of Scarlet but with some morals. He fills women with desire and knows it. He literally can get them in bed, give them the most amazing night of their life, and have them wondering how the heck they ended up with him the next morning. They don't care how though, they just want more. He has a conscience though and, unlike Scarlet, he knows when he should dial it back. He also hates Scarlet. We find out why at the end of "Just Breathe".
Zoe and Gavin - {deep, audible sigh}. What can I say? They're beautiful - inside and out. Meant to be together (literally - there's a charming story about this). They save each other from themselves. They show each other real love. They hurt each other. They forgive. They go on and love each other even more. And then there is the sex. (Noticing a pattern here?)
The sex between Zoe and Gavin is a whole different ball game than what we associate with Scarlet or Sinnder. It is physically amazing but it's way beyond physical. It's heart and soul and body and mind.The sex is amazing because of all of the non-sexual parts of their relationship. It's on a whole new level because their love for each other is on a whole new level.
I could go on about Zoe and Gavin but I'll shut up because I want to talk about the main message of "Just Breathe". There are many purely fantasy things about "Just Breathe" - battling elementals, talking whales, and the Dreaming to name a few. But the lesson it illustrates is very real.
"Just Breathe" is about real love - between lover, friends or family - and love vs sex. It's about the unselfish nature of real love. Gavin is tempted by the undeniable sexual magnetism of Scarlet. Even Zoe is tempted by the fire of Sinnder that fills her head with ecstasy-filled images. Neither of them even briefly considers that they love these people. I won't say anything to spoil the plot but suffice it to say that they both know that their love for each other vastly surpasses any fleeting thoughts of sexual encounters with anyone else.
"Just Breathe" is also about the unselfish nature of real love. Real love is not "what's in it for me". Real love is me wanting the best for the other person, whether I gain from it or not.
I'll quit gushing now. I'm a big fan of Zoe and Gavin and the more I read the deeper I fell for them. Get the book. Read it. Laugh, cry, roll your eyes, fight the internal battle between loving some of the things Scarlet says and does and hating her evilness. Bet you'll want some vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce when you're done. (Read the book, you'll understand. ;) )
After tragedy rocks the
foundation of their relationship, Australian Sentinel Gavin Cassidy and
whale biologist Zoe Morgan call it quits. Gavin can’t forgive himself
for shattering her trust, and being with the sexy rock star is killing
Zoe. Literally.
But love—and duty—are powerful motivators, and
alliances are forged in the most unlikely places. With the key to
salvation locked inside the mind of an unconscious child, Gavin must
find another way to snuff out the Fyre Elementals before millions of
humans die, or make good on his deal with the devil and lose the one he
loves. Again.
*This book contains graphic language, sex, and violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
**The
author will donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE
trilogy to programs that educate people about whales and the challenges
they face.
THE TOUR
Well I am one lucky girl today! This is fun! I've been on a "Just Breathe Trilogy" marathon the last several days. Each book was better than the one before. Today I get to share some songs with you that remind me of the last book - "Just Breathe". There is one little problem though. The songs I chose aren't really specific to the last book. They apply to all three books. They remind me of Zoe and Gavin.
The first is "Killing Me Softly" because it's about what Gavin does to Zoe with his music. This video has the lyrics. Enjoy.
"Rain" by Madonna - because, along with other words in this song that fit their love story, Zoe's water washes away Gavin's sorrow and makes his heart sing. Full lyrics are below the video.
Rain, feel it on my finger tips
Hear it on my window pane
Your love's coming down like
Rain, wash away my sorrow
Take away my pain
Your love's coming down like rain
When your lips are burning mine
And you take the time to tell me how you feel
When you listen to my words
And I know you've heard, I know it's real
Rain is what this thunder brings
For the first time I can hear my heart sing
Call me a fool but I know I'm not
I'm gonna stand out here on the mountain top
Till I feel your [chorus]
When you looked into my eyes
And you said goodbye could you see my tears
When I turned the other way
Did you hear me say
I'd wait for all the dark clouds bursting in a perfect sky
You promised me when you said goodbye
That you'd return when the storm was done
And now I'll wait for the light, I'll wait for the sun
Till I feel your [chorus]
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say, never go away
Waiting is the hardest thing
(It's strange I feel like I've known you before)
I tell myself that if I believe in you
(And I want to understand you)
In the dream of you
(More and more)
With all my heart and all my soul
(When I'm with you)
That by sheer force of will
(I feel like a magical child)
I will raise you from the ground
(Everything strange)
And without a sound you'll appear
(Everything wild)
And surrender to me, to love
Rain is what the thunder brings
For the first time I can hear my heart sing
Call me a fool but I know I'm not
I'm gonna stand out here on the mountain top
Till I feel your
Rain, I feel it, it's coming
Your love's coming down like[repeat] [chorus]
Rain, I feel it, it's coming
Your love's coming down like[repeat]
Rain
One more - "I'm Burning for You" by Blue Oyster Cult. Read the book and you'll get the irony. Hint: It has to do with the evil, irresistibly seductive Scarlet.
By the way, the last book - "Just Breathe" - was great. I'll be posting my review in the next few days. :)
